


Naumachia

by Aylen



Series: A Capite ad Calcem [3]
Category: 2770 ab urbe condita - Fandom, Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ancient Rome, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Butt Plugs, Cock Cages, Consent Issues, Crying, Dubious Consent, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Master/Slave, Nipple Clamps, Orgasm Denial, Sexual Slavery, Slavery, Spanking, Vibrators, Video Recording
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-27
Updated: 2019-02-27
Packaged: 2019-11-06 11:07:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17938553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aylen/pseuds/Aylen
Summary: Julian takes Artemis to see a show at the Colosseum. Hijinks ensue.





	Naumachia

**Author's Note:**

> This is another work inspired by [Mossgreen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mossgreen/pseuds/MossgreenMossgreen)'s wonderful [2770 ab urbe condita](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1059413) series, and also the other stories in the [collected fiction](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/2770_ab_urbe_condita)! Please check out both as they are all delightful to read.

Julian Valerius is late. It was not his idea to be late, but just as he was leaving the domus, a student had knocked on the door and asked to see him. Usually Julian would deny the request and ask the student to come see him during office hours, and not at his domus, but the boy was insistent. Thus he’d scraped off fifteen extra minutes he’d planned on to get to the Colosseum. 

Behind him, Artemis sticks close. The Roma Sub Terra is no place for a slave to get separated from his master, that’s for certain. No, he probably wouldn’t get lost, beaten up, or stolen, but the trouble he would be in… 

When they get to the gate to enter the station, Julian scans his thumbprint on the meter and it beeps green, allowing him through. He doesn’t wait for Ari to do the same, but the slave goes through - always with a tiny amount of uncertainty that it’ll actually let him pass. He knows he’s only allowed to travel on the Sub Terra because his master has allowed it and deposited a fund in his slave account. He doesn’t know how much is in there, but Master outlined it to him once where he’s allowed to go and when. Which is basically, when he’s with Master, when he’s running errands, or on the rare festival days he’s allowed to go out on his own. And the distance he’s allowed to go on his own is restricted to the city of Rome and no further. 

Ari follows Julian to the crisp, clean platform, holding his master’s satchel for him on one shoulder. He doesn’t know what’s in it today but he’s rarely told and it doesn’t bother him. He keeps his eyes lowered and sticks close to his master as free citizens and other slaves alike come to the platform, too. Ari has an idea that Julian could afford not to take the Sub Terra. He is a teacher but he is fortunate enough to have been brought up in a wealthy home, and invested in profitable companies even as he sought a career in academia. He finds satisfaction in it, to the chagrin of his parents who wished him to go into politics. Well, now he teaches students in the art of rhetoric, so Ari hopes they find that satisfactory. Not that he’s allowed to have an opinion on the matter, or should, really, even in the privacy of his own thoughts. 

But he’s grown past his feelings of dislike for his master, even if perhaps other slaves might shun him for it. He does feel affection for Julian. Julian treats him well and Ari’s grateful for that. He wants to please him in return for the comfortable home he’s provided, and the easy tasks he’s assigned to. Most of the time. Of course sometimes his punishment for a slip-up is scrubbing the floors of the whole domus in just a loincloth, but at least he doesn’t get whipped like some slaves do. 

When the train comes, Ari follows Julian in and then takes a seat next to him. If he was on his own, he would go to the separate slave car, but he’s allowed to accompany his master if they’re together. He holds Master’s satchel on his lap and keeps his legs together neatly and his eyes on the floor, trying not to let himself touch Julian unnecessarily. It’s not often that he gets to sit on an equal level with him; the first time they took the train he tried to kneel on the ground, but Master had pulled him up to sit on the seat. 

_“Don’t want you getting an infection or some disease from there,”_ he had explained with disgust, and Ari had nodded. Of course it made sense. Kneeling was preferable if the ground was at least moderately clean. It was stupid to let your slave go somewhere where they could pick up germs. Of course, unthoughtful and abusive masters did that, but they were the ones who had to pay for the slave’s medical treatment if something happened, or chance being reported to SIPAS - Societās Imperātōrium Prohibēre Atrōcitae Servīs; the Imperial Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Slaves - for neglect. 

Making a slave kneel on the ground of the carriage or a public walkway is not illegal, it is simply frowned upon and reckless. 

It does make him a little self-conscious. He’s not used to being on this level with Julian, or this close, at least in a public setting. It makes his cheeks warm slightly, and he can perhaps forgive himself for imagining what it might be like to be a free person, able to sit next to other free people without worrying that they’re doing something wrong by being there. 

Though, sitting on a seat like this reminds him of the plug in his ass. He shifts slightly and can feel it rock deeper into him. He swallows. Well, at least Master put a cock cage on him too, so he’s less likely to embarrass himself. What he’s worried about though… is that the plug is actually a vibrator with a remote control. Master only tested it when they were at home and has left it off so far. 

Artemis glances subtly over to Master’s hands, but it doesn’t look like he’s holding it. The remote is probably in the coin purse at his hip within the folds of his toga. Or in the satchel Ari’s holding himself. He tightens his hold on it. 

At one stop, a woman in a stola and palla comes in with a service dog on a handle-leash. She sits down and the dog does too, panting and looking around attentively, ready to serve her. You don’t see those every day, Ari thinks. Usually citizens with a disability just have slaves they take with them. This woman, who Ari tries to peer at discreetly, is beautiful and kind-looking, and he wonders why she’s different. Perhaps she doesn’t have enough money for a slave, or maybe she just likes dogs better. 

Not like there’s much difference in some Romans’ eyes. Dogs might even be treated better, near to actual people than what slaves are; things. Just tools to be used. 

Ari looks down.

When they arrive at the city center, the platform they walk out onto is bustling, and they have to carefully weave through the throngs to get up and outside. 

The glaring afternoon sun nearly blinds Ari when they step out of the shelter of the Sub Terra station onto the plaza outside the Colosseum, but he has to adjust quickly to keep up with Julian. His sandals beat on the pavement and he’s glad Master told him to put on a little sunscreen today. He’d be baked in this heat otherwise. 

Nearer to the Colosseum, the crowds are relentless. He doesn’t know what the show for today will actually be - Master didn’t tell him - but it must be popular. Oh. He looks up and sees a large poster of giant ships in what looks like the ocean. So _that’s_ what they’ll be seeing. He’s never seen a naumachia before. He’s not sure if he’s excited or unnerved, though. And who knows, he might not even see any of it. He doesn’t know if they’re even here to see the show. Julian could be on business.

There are deep lines outside the amphitheater, and Ari wonders for a moment if they’ll have to stand in line. But Master goes directly up to one of the massive glass entrance doors and flashes a pass at the security guard, who waves him through. Ari swallows and follows him into the cool interior. The massive structure is all enclosed now with huge glass walls and doors that look out onto the street and provide security and temperature control. It’s a blessing to be out of the heat, though he has to remind himself not to look around too much and keep his eyes down as he walks. He’s only been in this building a few times before, and it’s intimidating every time. 

The floor is a beautiful polished granite and the old stone walls are artfully exposed on the interior of the glass building. Huge television screens hang on the walls, seeming suspended in mid-air, as they project the image from the arena to the waiting patrons. Right now in the arena there seems to be a pre-show race going on with small racing shells and much fanfare and speedboats going around. Ari looks down from the screen as he walks and just sees Julian glancing away from him, then a moment later he makes the tiniest of noises as the plug in his ass starts to vibrate. 

_Oh, gods._

He swallows a whimper and hurries to keep up. It feels amazing, and his heartbeat speeds as the thing buzzes. He feels like everyone’s staring at him, but he knows they aren’t. Quite the opposite, probably. Nobody pays attention to slaves. He keeps his breathing even and his eyes on Julian, who he can see has the barest hint of a smile on his face, as they walk. 

They follow the interior halls and go up a few floors by marble scalaria where there are less people, and then Julian stops by one of the glass-faced offices built into the interior arches. Oh, so this is what they were rushing for. 

He turns to Ari and takes his satchel back, giving his cheek an affectionate brush with the back of his hand. He turns back and a guardslave at the frosted glass door nods to him and stands aside. Julian goes inside and immediately starts chatting heartily and animatedly to the person therein before the door closes, muffling their conversation. Ari wants desperately to know how long Master will be, but of course he can’t ask now. He sighs shakily and stands by the glass wall in a resting pose. 

As pleasure ripples through him, though, he resists the urge to bite his lip and fidget. His cock is already starting to wet his underwear through the cock cage. As he looks outside to the bright city through the large floor-to-ceiling glass windows and watches people walk by, he wishes he could touch himself. He fantasises about taking the cage off and wanking himself off in some hidden corner. 

Julian chats and presumably does business for what seems like twenty minutes - enough time for Ari to become quite a dazed mess - and he looks to Julian as he comes out with unfocused eyes. Julian gives Ari the satchel back and leans in. 

“How’s it going, pet?” he asks softly in his ear, and Ari shivers. 

“It’s going well, Dominus,” he says, wetting his lip. 

“How desperate are you?”

As they walk, Ari sucks in a breath, glancing at others and then lowering his eyes. “Very, Dominus.”

Julian hums and places a hand on Artemis’s lower back, rubbing almost through the fabric as his hand goes to his neck and squeezes. Ari shivers again and his bound cock throbs. 

Just then the buzzing increases, and Ari yelps softly as Julian removes his hand with a small chuckle. Ari swallows thickly. 

“D—” 

He stops himself. It’s alright. It’s fine. He takes a few breaths as they walk and squeezes his hand on Julian’s satchel more tightly. He knows that Julian would stop the plug or take it out if he was truly in distress. Had stopped his games before when it became too much. It’s alright. 

They go back down a level and then they’re going down a hall. The light gets brighter and then they go through a vomitoria and are in the amphitheater. Ari’s eyes go wide and he looks around breathlessly, able to take in the massive scale of the place even with the persistent buzzing near his tailbone. The rows of seats that go all the way around, above them and below them. The huge arena that’s filled with water and empty except for a few small boats. Thankfully, the velarium has been pulled over the top of the amphitheater, it’s heavy canvas wings providing ample shade to the public. 

He can tell from where they are that they’re in one of the better sections. Not near the bottom or the top, but more around the middle. He knows this section is called the maenianum secundum imum, where the wealthy plebeians sit. Just down below them is the section for non-senatorial noble class, and beyond them are the senators, the important priests, and the emperor. 

Ari follows Julian down the scalaria, but the buzzing is made even worse by the steps and trying to walk and keep his eyes down. When he gets to the flat praecinctiones area, he steps out of the way and looks up. He blinks, and realizes Julian isn’t in front of him. 

His heart speeds up as he looks around in a panic, but then sees him a few meters away speaking with someone in a smart white toga by the wall. He exhales, swallowing thickly and discreetly going over behind Julian, cheeks flaming. Even though he was separated for only a second, his mind had rushed through what would happen if he truly were separated from his master. The humiliation of informing an attendant or a guard and then waiting probably in a holding cell while Julian was contacted to pick him up. He shudders and Julian glances at him for a brief moment, but he doesn’t notice. 

A few minutes later Julian says goodbye to the man and turns to Artemis, before putting the vibrator on a lower setting. Ari sighs in relief, slumping slightly. Then Julian tips his chin up with his large hands, and Ari looks into his eyes with wide ones of his own before dropping them again. Julian brushes his cheek again in a seemingly silent show of grounding. 

_You’re alright_ , he seems to say. 

He heads back the way they came, then, and they go up the stairs for just several rows until they finally get to their seats. 

Or… Julian’ seat. Here, the clean folding seats are grouped in pairs, with a small space after every two. The perfect size for a bag, extra privacy and leg room, or a kneeling slave. Apparently Julian knows his seat-mate, and gives the man a hug. They talk standing for several minutes before Julian gives him a subtle hand signal; palm face down, his fingers moving from up to down. _Kneel._

Ari kneels immediately, and Julian and his friend sit down to chat without looking at him. Ari is in the space between the seats, turned sideways slightly and towards Julian to stay out of the way. He can’t really see the arena like this, but he can if he cranes his neck over the people in front. He knows he shouldn’t, though. He should keep his head down like a good slave and pay attention to his master in case he needs anything. There are a few other slaves in this section. One is holding a cup and food tray for their master; another is acting as footrest. 

Ari shivers and holds Julian’ bag a little tighter. There isn’t much room here and his head is so close to Julian’s thigh that he can feel his heat through his toga. It isn’t necessarily an uncomfortable feeling. He sighs and gets a little more comfortable, eyes on the ground. 

After a few minutes, Julian shifts, taking a hidden cushion out from under his seat, and hands it to him. Ari takes it with wide eyes and a soft, “Thank you, Dominus,” as he kneels on that instead so he doesn’t get sore. _What an ingenious feature_ , he thinks, just as Julian’ hand strays to his hair. Ari shivers as Julian runs his hand through it and pulls his head flush with his leg. Ari swallows and relaxes against his master, taking comfort in the contact. Someone else comes then to sit on the other seat then, and he tenses, ready to move in case the free citizen thinks he’s in the way. But the hand in his hair tightens as well, keeping him still and close. Ari shivers. It does calm him, knowing where his master wants him to be. Knowing he’s wanted to be in a certain place. It gives him less to worry about. 

When he settles, Master’s hand gentles and again strokes through his hair pleasantly. 

The vibrator in his ass, though, keeps him from getting too comfortable. It’s a strange sensation not being able to get hard while still being aroused. His underwear is damp now and he hopes he won’t leak through to his tunic. He shifts slightly and Julian glances down at him before continuing with his conversation. His hand moves after a little while to Ari’s neck under his collar, squeezing lightly. 

At some point, Ari realizes that the mood in the amphitheater has changed, and most seats are filled. 

The show has begun. 

There is music and ominous sound effects that come in through speakers throughout, and if he stays straight he can see some of the action. The spectators become more noisy as they shout for their preferred team or ship, and eventually it gets a little disturbing for his taste as the ships start ramming each other, and he settles back with his head partially in Julian’ lap. Julian glances down at him approvingly and his fingers comb soothingly through the slave’s thick curly hair. 

At some points his hands go tense and he grips Ari’s hair in the heat of the moment, in frustration or anxiety, but Ari bears it without a noise of complaint. It doesn’t hurt. Sometimes Master’s fingers tap nervously on his neck, but they always go back gently to his hair. He could almost fall asleep like this. 

Several times when others walk by, he’s had to scoot in a little more, but he isn’t bothered otherwise. 

An hour or so into the show, Julian gives him a soft tap and he looks up. 

“Get me a beer, hm, pet?” he asks softly, and Ari nods. 

“Yes, Dominus,” he says, rising to his feet. 

“You can leave that here,” Julian says of his bag, and Ari nods, setting it down. He then makes his way out of the arena to the back. There aren’t many people out here since the show is still in full swing, so it’s not difficult for him to find a thermopolium with beer. He waits behind a free person in line and then gives the serving slave his order. To pay he scans his thumbprint on the scanner and selects which bank account to use. It’s the account of Master’s for the slave’s use during errands and Ari doesn’t know how much is in it or who can use it, besides a few other slaves in the household who he knows go on errands too. 

He takes the drink and thanks the slave, giving him a brief smile as he leaves. He tries to be courteous to other slaves when possible. 

Careful not to spill the beer, Ari goes back to Julian. When he gets back, he hands it to him with some napkins he got and then kneels back down, taking Julian’ bag on his lap again. 

“Thank you, pet,” Julian says quietly, taking a sip and stroking Ari’s hair affectionately. Ari leans into him, soaking up the attention. 

A little while later, Julian holds the mostly empty plastic cup down to him. Ari takes it, expecting to just hold onto it for him, but Julian looks at him. 

“Have a bit,” he says, and Ari looks at Julian for a second before looking down and blinking. He nods. 

“Yes, Dominus,” he says, holding the cup in two hands and sniffing the alcoholic drink before taking a sip. He’s had beer before, and most other alcoholic drinks. Master likes to see what he likes and doesn’t like, and how it affects him. Not in a truly malicious way, just because of his academic nature. He’s intently curious about the world around him… and Artemis is his primary subject. 

Ari takes another sip after that one, as Julian is still watching him sidelong. Under his watchful gaze, he finishes the cup. 

“Good boy,” Julian says with a small smile, stroking through his hair and petting his cheek. His attention is drawn away to the show though, and Ari is left feeling pleasantly sated.

After the show, Julian speaks to several more people they run into on the way out, and then they head home on the train. It’s evening now, and the train is filled with others coming from the Colosseum as well. Ari can feel the beginnings of sleepiness creep up on him, though he barely did anything that day. The morning was filled with helping Julian grade more exams ( _he_ wasn’t grading them, obviously, just scoring them based on what Julian had marked) and also typing up his handwritten notes for tests and lectures. Nothing too strenuous. He actually enjoyed work like that, though his fingers did itch to care for the garden, and Cecilia’s pet snake. 

He thinks he might be able to convince Master that the family dogs needed baths. They usually had scheduled baths but one had gotten into the roses… the poor roses. Though Artemis was not really a gardener, there had been a garden in his previous home which he had tended as well. Aiding the gardener when he had free time. 

He enjoyed flora and fauna and tried to make himself useful where they were concerned, so his owners perhaps gave him more duties to care for them. Animals were certainly easier to deal with than people, and he enjoyed their company more. His dream when he was hopefully freed was to have a dog, or a cat, or rescue animals. He knows humans in servitude need help, but so do abused and mistreated animals. Perhaps he could work at the Bioparco ab Roma. 

When they do arrive home, Juno and Jupiter trot up and bark their soft welcome in their wide but handsome iron-and-leather collars. Myles, the houseboy on duty as the doorman, closes the heavy door behind them. 

“Hello, hello, my dears,” Julian says to them, crouching down to give them pets. Ari gives Myles a nod of thanks before watching the dogs and Julian enviously, giving his master room with them as they lick his face and whine eagerly. Julian chuckles and scratches them behind their ears, perhaps unbefitting of a Roman of his station, But Artemis certainly isn’t one to judge. He delights in his master playing with the dogs, and it makes him happy to see that they love him and enjoy being with him. Some Romans keep dogs as guards and give them no attention at all, which is a terrible shame if you ask him. 

“Oh, hello, Julian,” Cecilia, Julian’s sister, says, fixing an earring as she comes into the atrium. She gives him a smile and he returns it. Ari shifts at her presence and takes a more formal position with his hands behind him as he stands back by the wall with his eyes lowered respectfully. Cecilia is a nice person overall, but has always treated him with suspicion. 

“Hello, Ces,” Julian says affectionately. 

“Well how was it?” she asks, not looking at Ari as she gives Juno a small rub with her manicured and bejeweled fingers. 

“It was quite incredible. You would have liked it.”

Cecilia makes a face, smiling. “Mm, I don’t think so. Much too monstrous for me,” she says. “I was busy here. Had the ladies over. And I didn’t want to get caught up while you chatted with all of your business friends.”

“I really didn’t meet that many—”

“Oh? Slave, how many did my brother meet?” she asks Ari without looking at him, a smirk on her lips. 

“It was about five, Mistress,” Ari says, glancing to Julian briefly to make sure he can give that information before looking back down. He shifts slightly and swallows. 

“See?” Cecilia grins. “I knew it. You always say you won’t and then there’s this person and that person and then—”

“Yes, well, I need to meet with those people, Cecilia,” Julian says as he starts off towards his cubiculum. 

Cecilia sighs and follows, Artemis following several steps behind her. The dogs trot along on the other side of the domus, panting and watching.

“Yes, I know,” she says wearily when they get there. “I just… wish I could go out with just you once in a while,” she adds a little sadly. Of course, when she says just them, she means them and Ari, but he doesn’t count. 

“I know, sister, dear,” he says, touching her arm comfortingly. “We will do it, I promise.”

Cecilia gasps. “We could go to the theater,” she suggests with a bright smile, and Julian chuckles. 

“Well you know then we would just run into all of _your_ friends.” 

“Oh, yes, well we would, wouldn’t we?” she says, “but you don’t mind them, do you?” Julian pauses, and Cecilia snorts. “You like my friends, I know you do,” she continues teasingly, holding his arm. 

“Yes, some of your friends, perhaps,” Julian says with a small smile, and then motions for Ari to go on into the tabilinium, which he does. 

He puts Master’s satchel on the desk and takes the folders out. He isn’t sure exactly what to do with them so he sets them to the side neatly and then places the satchel in one of the desk cubbies. He straightens some things on the desk and then goes to the service room to get a bowl of warm water and cloth. Rullus is in there fixing some stool with a screwdriver when he gets in. 

“Hello, Ari,” he says, glancing up at him, and Ari nods. 

“Hello, Rullus, how’s it coming?” 

“Oh, you know, it’s coming.” He chuckles and Ari huffs a soft laugh. Through the door to the culīna, Ari can see Amos the cook sitting at the center table with a small laptop, notebooks and reference books out in front of him. He’s probably organizing the meal plans for the week, or some other such culinary business Ari doesn’t have a clue about. Amos doesn’t notice him. 

When Ari goes back, Cecilia has gone somewhere and Master is in his cubiculum on the bed typing on his phone, one knee over the other. 

“Dominus, can I take your toga off?” Ari offers. 

“Thank you, Artemis, that would be helpful,” Julian says, standing and putting his phone down. Ari sets the bowl down and then gets to work. Thankfully he was taught how to put on and take off a toga, so it’s not that difficult for him to do. Master’s isn’t _too_ dirty right now, but he thinks he’ll send this one off to the dry cleaners anyway. A toga certainly can’t go in the washing machine. 

Ari folds it and sets it on the storage chest before getting the bowl and kneeling on the stone. He sets the bowl down and carefully undoes Master’s outdoor sandals. They’re dusty from the roads and Ari will clean them later, or delegate that job to another slave if he doesn’t have time. He takes Master’s feet in his hands and gets the rag wet with warm water before he washes them quickly but thoroughly. 

“Take care of that and then come back here, yes?” Master asks as he stands, and Ari nods. 

“Yes, Dominus,” he says, putting the rag in the water and taking Julian’ shoes and toga.

“Can’t leave that thing inside you for very much longer, hm?” Julian says with a small laugh, giving Ari’s ass a little pat. Ari goes red and straightens. 

“No, Dominus,” he responds, swallowing as the toy in his ass shifts. Well, at least Julian hasn’t turned it back on since the Colosseum. Small blessings. 

Ari goes back to the service room. He cleans the bowl, puts the rag in the laundry hamper, and sets Julian’ shoes on a rack for cleaning. Lastly, the toga he puts on a special shelf out of the way where it won’t get dirty. 

Julian is on his phone again when Ari returns. He doesn’t look up right away, and Ari puts his hands behind his back and waits. 

“Clothes off,” Julian orders without looking up, and Ari blinks before quickly pulling his tunic off and pushing off his underwear. “On the bed, ass in the air, you know the drill,” Julian says then, a little impatiently, and Ari nods. 

“Yes, Dominus,” he says, and gets on the bed, going into the position they use for this with his ass out and his head in his arms. His caged cock hangs down. He’s not very big when flaccid, but he doesn’t think he really has a small cock. It’s smaller than Master’s, though. Ari sniffs, waiting. He’s glad the curtain door is pulled over. 

Master finally stands, and then Ari hears the click of a camera go off. He squeezes his eyes shut and shivers. There are a few more clicks, and Ari’s toes curl. He doesn’t really like being photographed. Especially when he doesn’t know what Master does with the photos. Who he sends them to. 

Julian comes to his side of the bed and holds the camera up to his face, about a foot away. Ari’s looking down but Master snaps up top with his fingers and Ari looks there, just in time for the camera to click. He sighs. 

“Beautiful,” Julian says. “You have the most gorgeous eyes.” 

Ari makes a small, pleased noise at the praise and wiggles his ass slightly. Julian chuckles and slaps it. Ari jerks in surprise and _isn’t_ surprised when his cock gives a feeble twitch in the metal cage. Master hums, stroking his ass and slapping it again. Ari jumps and whines softly, his ass starting to sting. Master takes another photo. 

There’s a rustling, and Ari can hear something metallic. _Oh, gods_ —

The buzzing in his ass starts up again, and he whines long and low. He shifts his hips and his fingers twitch with the need to touch himself, even if it wouldn’t do much anyway. His cock pulses in the cage and he can feel precome already forming. He closes his eyes and sighs, enjoying the stimulation. Julian takes another photo, and then there are some noises as he clicks his phone into a tripod and sets that on a higher table. Ari assumes he’s put it on video mode. 

Julian comes to sit on the bed, his hand on Ari’s ass. He rubs the now red mark and gives it a squeeze. Ari wonders if he’ll take the plug out soon, or if Julian telling him he was going to do it was just a way to make him relax. Not like Ari really cares. It’s not like he can really say no. Not when he isn’t in any pain. 

Ari hears the sound of wicker on stone, and feels the bed creak. He hears Master take something from the basket under the bed where he stores some equipment, and then Master pushes it back and sits up. Ari shifts and peers over. A spoon. Oh, okay. He takes a deep breath, and then Julian is touching the spoon to his ass, letting him get used to the feel of it, then— 

_WHACK!_

Ari jolts, and Master’s hand goes to his ass again, feeling the stinging flesh. Ari shivers, shifting as the vibrating plug in his ass makes him heat from the inside out, and then Julian does it again, and again, keeping a soothing hand on Ari’s back. Ari whimpers at each hit, sniffing and jolting. His toes curl and he feels tears at his eyes, but his cock drips precome onto the bedspread. Julian knows he reacts to this. Has tried many things to see what he reacts to. Ari isn’t sure if he _likes_ it exactly, but the warmth on his ass and the pain definitely make his cock weep. He shivers, his nose dripping slightly, tears having fallen. 

After stopping, Julian rubs his ass, and his back, and looks at him. He reaches one hand under his chest to his nipples. Brushes his hand over them and pinches one. Ari whimpers, shifting away slightly. Even though Julian hasn’t touched them yet, the buzzing is making his skin everywhere feel extra sensitive. 

_WHACK!_

Ari keens softly, shifting, sniffling. 

“Don’t move,” Julian says, and Ari nods, eyelashes wet. Julian rubs his back and reaches to pinch the other nipple, hard. Ari cries out, a shiver rolling up his spine, and Julian releases him. But then moments later he’s back, and there’s the cool touch of metal to one of his nipples before the pinch. Ari gasps, jerking and whining and shaking his head. 

“Dominus…” 

Julian ignores him, going to the other and putting on the other nipple clamp, connected by a chain to the first, onto that one, too. Ari whimpers and shifts, clenching his hands. 

“It hurts,” he says, sniffing, and Julian smiles slightly.

“I know, love,” he says, tugging on the chain and making Ari cry out. “But you’re so beautiful when you’re in pain.”

Well, at least he’s beautiful, Ari thinks as he sniffs and his snot and tears stain the sheets. The air is cool on his cock and he can feel himself dripping even more. Oh, gods, how he wishes his cock was free. He wishes to touch it and jerk himself off and feel the sweet release of orgasm. 

Julian hits him a dozen times more, to his continued squirming and whining. He’s actively crying by the end of it, his cock pulsing in the cage, the plug buzzing and making him ache. He shivers. His ass stings, is hot to the touch. He just wants to come. He whines softly.

Master’s hand is warm and soft on his back.

“Good boy, Artemis,” he says, rubbing his side and brushing a hand through his hair. 

Ari whimpers and leans into the touch, and then the buzzing in his ass stops. He sighs in relief, slumping. Julian’s hand is on his ass, and then he’s drizzling more lube on before pulling it out gently. Ari shivers. 

“There we go…” Julian says, putting the plug into a metal bowl he pulled out at some point. Then he’s reaching around and unclipping the clamps. Ari nearly screams from the pain of the blood rushing back into his nipples, but manages to make do with a pained grunt. Julian chuckles, giving his shoulder a kiss, and Ari huffs softly. Well at least _someone_ is enjoying this. 

Next, Ari hears the subtle sound of a bottle being uncapped, then a squirt, then there’s a cooling salve being spread over his asscheeks. He hums, sighing. Oh, that feels good. Julian spreads the soothing aloe over the heated skin, then closes the cap and puts the bottle away. 

“Alright, scoot over. You can lie down now. Stay on your front,” Julian says, and Ari does it in a heartbeat, collapsing onto the side of the bed that isn’t covered in his precome and tears. 

“Thank you, Dominus,” he says, loving the cool sheets of the bed on his sore body. 

Taking the bowl, Julian goes out of the room for a moment, calling someone with a snap of his fingers and giving it to them with some washing instructions. Ari winces. He knows it’s Myles, and he knows Myles knows what that was and who it was _in._ Fuck. Oh well. Nothing either of them can do about it. 

Julian comes back in and sits on the bed, stroking Ari’s back for several minutes to let the aloe sink into his skin. 

“Hop off the bed for a second, love,” he says, getting up himself. Ari sighs but drags himself off the bed, wobbling slightly on weak knees. But Julian just pulls the top sheet off the bed and puts it in the laundry hamper before he pulls the covers back and motions for Ari to get in. Ari nearly moans with relief, crawling under and shivering. He sniffs and Julian hands him a damp cloth for his face.

“Thank you, Dominus,” Ari says softly, wiping his nose and eyes. His cock still aches, and he still wants to come, but it’s down to a low humming in the background that he can mostly ignore, now. And it’s easy to forget about everything else, being in Master’s plush bed like this. 

Master takes his phone down and strips out of his tunic as well then, turning out the lamps and getting into bed himself. He gets Ari to shift around to face the other way and then he drags him into his arms, fitting right into him but also being careful of his sore ass. 

“You were very good today, love,” Julian says, kissing Ari’s neck, and Ari whines softly.

“Thank you, Dominus. I want to serve you well, Dominus.” Even if that means enduring a vibrating plug in him for hours at a time. 

“Yes, I know you do,” Julian says, humming and stroking the back of his fingers along Ari’s chest lightly as the tired slave falls asleep in his arms.

**Author's Note:**

>  **Translations:**  
>  _ātrium_ \- open central court or formal entrance hall  
>  _domus_ \- house  
>  _naumachia_ \- naval battle  
>  _Dominus_ \- Master  
>  _Roma Sub Terra_ \- Underground train  
>  _stola_ \- woman’s dress  
>  _palla_ \- woman’s shawl  
>  _scalaria_ \- stairs  
>  _vomitoria -_ passage below/behind a tier of seats through which crowds can exit  
>  _velarium_ \- retractable awning providing shade  
>  _praecinctiones_ \- curved walkway separating the tiers of seating  
>  _thermopolium_ \- place where hot food is sold  
>  _Bioparco ab Roma_ \- literally ‘biological park’/Zoological garden of Rome  
>  _culīna_ \- kitchen  
>  _cubiculum_ \- bedroom
> 
> I'm also: [aylenwrites@tumblr](https://aylenwrites.tumblr.com/), [milarca@tumblr](https://milarca.tumblr.com/), and [milarca@ao3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Milarca)


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